


Waiting

by MaryBarrens



Series: Merlin Translations [4]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic, Episode: s01e10 The Moment of Truth, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-22
Updated: 2016-04-22
Packaged: 2018-06-03 20:41:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6625456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaryBarrens/pseuds/MaryBarrens
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>„You know it was Merlin who made that whirlwind,“ she continued softly, but determinedly. She didn´t try to hide anything, she just wanted to know how his mind worked. She was trying to understand him, because she wanted to know what to expect of him. „That it´s him who has magic.“</p>
            </blockquote>





	Waiting

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Waiting](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3602499) by [MaryBarrens](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaryBarrens/pseuds/MaryBarrens). 



Arthur was standing in front of Merlin´s childhood house, his eyes directed at the pyre. The flames were high and burning hot, slowly swallowing the body of a young man that has saved his life only a few hours ago, but Arthur was unable to look away from his servant. From Merlin, who was still standing there, as if his legs has became rooted in the ground, quietly watching the flames eating up his oldest friend. 

He wanted to go to him, but he could not. He couldn´t go to stand next to him, to put a hand on his shoulder or squeeze his arm and tell him that it´s going to be alright, because he knew it will not, not for Merlin. That boy was his friend, someone that Merlin has grew up with. They have used to discover the world and – Arthur was absolutely sure of that – to get into all sorts of stupid boyish trouble together and Merlin has probably never thought that he might ever lose him. And now the boy was gone. 

„You know he lied to you,“ Hunith murmured from next to him and when Arthur looked at her, surprised, because she´s appeared so quietly he hasn´t even knew she´s been there until she´s spoken up (and that on itself was telling, because he was so fucused on Merlin he didn´t even notice that Hunith has slipped away from the group of grieving villagers). But she wasn´t watching him, only her son. 

Of course, whom else was she supposed to be watching, when Merlin has just lost someone he´s cared about? 

„What?“ Arthur asked and quickly looked back at Merlin. Would he mind if he knew Arthur was talking to his mother? Arthur was still his prince after all, even if he liked to think, mostly when he was being left alone for a moment (Alright, it was probably a bit more often than that, like every time Merlin just walked into his chambers without knocking, as if it was his own place, or when Merlin was bickering with him or making fun of him, much more openly that Arthur´s knights would ever dare to. Maybe it was every time Merlin willingly got himself into something dangerous even thought he didn´t have to.), that they were friends. 

Merlin´s never stopped watching the flames. 

Arthur turned back to Hunith and he was surprised to find her watching him intently, with a sad smile. 

She cocked her head and her face softened. „You know that Will didn´t have magic. That he lied to you.“ Her eyes were clear and kind and they looked just the same as Merlin´s did. 

Arthur wondered if he´s got his mother´s eyes too. 

He shook his head and forced himself to focus. What has Hunith said? That Will hasn´t got any magic, that he´s been lying? Arthur shrugged. „I know,“ he admitted calmly. 

„You know it was Merlin who made that whirlwind,“ she continued softly, but determinedly. She didn´t try to hide anything, she just wanted to know how his mind worked. She was trying to understand him, because she wanted to know what to expect of him. „That it´s him who has magic.“ 

„Yes.“ 

Has he really used to be scared of the people with magic? He could hardly believe it now, looking at Hunith and knowing that if he ever hurt Merlin, in any way, Hunith would kill him more horrible, probably more painfully too, than anyone with magic and all the spells of the world could ever think of. 

„Yet you didn´t say anything.“ 

Arthur shook his head and he almost snorted with amusement. „No.“ 

Hunith was silently staring at him for a long time, as if she was trying to compare his words with whatever Merlin´s told her about him. Because Merlin has probably talked to her about him, about his superior – his prince – who was nothing more that a spoiled, arrogant brat, always throwing things on Merlin´s head or assigning him endless lists of pointless tasks, just to amuse himself and occupy his time with something so he wouldn´t have to think about being who he was, just because of Merlin, who´s made him think and want to become a better person. No, actually, Merlin probably didn´t know about the last bit, at least Arthur hoped he didn´t. 

„Why?“ 

Arthur sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, staring at Merlin, who´s been standing at the same spot the whole time, his shoulders hunched up and eyes even more distinctive than usually in his too pale face. He seemed like he was about to start crying at any moment, but Arthur knew that he won´t. Maybe later, at night, in private, but not now, not in front of the people. 

Arthur drove away the thought about Merlin breaking down in front of him so that Arthur could hold him and tell him it was going to be alright and put him back together. And he would do it, piece by piece, until Merlin was whole again, just as carefree as he´s been when they´ve met. 

„I´m not as oblivious as Merlin thinks I am, Hunith,“ he said finally, his voice thick. She seemed deep in thought. Her face was turned up to him and she was so tiny compared to him, but he couldn´t stop himself thinking that she was stronger than he felt at that moment. „I knew about his magic almost from the start. I wasn´t that hard to figure it out.“ He shrugged. 

It seemed to confuse Hunith. „And you didn´t say anything? Not to your father _or_ Merlin?“ 

To his father? To the king who would see Merlin dead in an instant, without doubt, if only he knew? He wouldn´t even stop to listen to them, to hear them out so he would know what exactly has Merlin been using his magic for, practically since his first day in Camelot. As if Arthur would ever be able to condemn to boy – boy who´s been waking him up by snatching a pillow from under Arthur´s head and hiding Arthur´s dirty clothes in his chambers to avoid cleaning them, but taking care of Arthur´s armor the way no one else ever would and never running away when threatened by bandits or wayward sorcerers or dragons, always standing by his side, with no weapon or training – who´s been insulting him on daily basis, to watch him die. 

„I know what Merlin does for me,“ he said firmly and her eyes widened for a moment. „I know no one has so much luck that the bandits get taken down by falling branches. The knights don´t just lose their swords or trip over their own legs when they don´t fight fair.“ He took a step to the woman but then he just shook his head, sliding down the wall until he was crouching. „I know he´s constantly saving my life. He – “ he swallowed and turned his eyes away, because he couldn´t look at her while he was talking about her son like that. „Merlin makes me a better person, just by being there. He would never hurt anyone deliberately, magic or not, and everything he does is to protect me. How could I ever betray him and tell my father about his magic?“ 

Hunith didn´t say a word for a few moments and he was starting to think he has said too much. She didn´t need to know all the horrible details. No need to tell her about Merlin drinking the poison for Arthur or almost dying because of it, because telling her about it should be Merlin´s decision, not Arthur´s. 

When she spoke up again, her voice was hoarse. „Why didn´t you tell _him_?“

He didn´t even need to ask who she´s talking about. 

„I´m waiting until he comes to me,“ he admitted softly. „Until he trusts me enough to come to me and tell me himself.“ 

Hunith nodded slowly and crouched down next to him, leaning against the wall of her house. Neither of them said anything when they looked back at the burning pyre. 


End file.
